Vaccinations
Your puppy will likely need to have several vaccinations throughout its life to help protect against preventable diseases.
These include:
Rabies
Rabies vaccination is required by law in most states and is often given every 1–3 years by your veterinarian.
DHPP
DHPP is a combo vaccination that prevents Distemper, Hepatitis (also called Adenovirus), Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus. It is given in a series of 3 separate vaccinations (or boosters) by your veterinarian while your puppy is young (or for adult dogs who have not been previously vaccinated). After that, it is given every 1-3 years to maintain adequate levels of antibodies to help protect your dog.
Bordetella
Bordetella vaccination helps protect against what is commonly known as “Kennel Cough.” Although this vaccine is not required for all dogs, Veterinarians recommend it for dogs who attend Doggy Day Care or other social environments where dogs will be interacting with other dogs. This including boarding facilities, dog parks, dog-friendly apartment buildings, etc. Therefore, to help keep all dogs in our care healthy, the Bordetella vaccine is required for all dogs participating in services at Central Bark.
If you have questions about what vaccines your puppy needs, please speak with your veterinarian.
Monthly Preventatives
Your pup should be protected against common parasites including:
Heartworm
Heartworms are life-threatening, internal parasites that are spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Once a dog is infected, the worms grow inside the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels blocking blood flow and eventually leading to death. While treatment is possible in some cases, it is very expensive, especially when compared to the much lower cost of monthly preventatives. Heartworm preventatives are oral medications that must be purchased through your veterinarian, as a routine blood test is required prior to beginning the medication. Heartworm preventatives may also offer protection from other types of infectious worms like hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms.
Fleas and Ticks
Fleas and ticks are external parasites (insects) that are commonly picked up through exposure to the outdoors. Flea/tick medications can be a topical treatment applied between your pup’s shoulder blades, or an oral pill that disseminates through the skin.
There are several different brands of flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives available, and you should work with your veterinarian to determine which is the right product for you.
